Shoe-sized House

Just the other day, my sister was complaining about her shoe-sized house. The reason according to her is the lack of space in her humble abode. If you live in Kenya, you may understand her predicament. To compound her worries further, she has a toddler who-well-has touchy fingers and ‘feet on fire’ making it impossible to confine her to one location. With a limited budget, she was concerned about her crowded house as there were things strewn all over. The danger presented in this scenario is an understatement when you throw in a hyperactive toddler.

I know many people are faced with such space dilemma. The spaces available is not large enough even for the ones who opt to decorate in minimalism. How can one ensure there is enough space in their abodes?

1. Use of functional furniture. We are often tempted to buy furniture that eats much needed space. For example, instead of buying that humongous wall unit that takes up much space, how about investing in a slimmer cabinet that will hold your essentials. Alternatively, choose one that has glass, which will let light pass through it, brightening the room thus giving acres of space.
2. Investing in furniture that fold, hide stuff, coil and even retract is a wise choice. If you live in a bedsitter, stay away from the seven-seater sofas. Instead invest in a sofa-bed that can be used for its purpose. It will not only give u space but give the illusion of a larger room.
3. Speaking of furniture, if your room is large is enough to accommodate a seven-seater, stay clear of seats that have chunky legs. The eyes tend to see a dark mass making the room appear darker. Instead choose seats that have open legs either metal or thinner wood. This illusion tricks the eye into believing there is more space under the seats.
4. Use of decorative, functional and co-ordinated storage facilities can come in handy. For example, how about buying a coffee table with hidden storage where you can store magazines or other knick-knacks? Or, a bunk bed with storage cabinets underneath it. There are countless storage solutions one can come up with that will eliminate clutter that tends to steal any space.

When one takes the time to find easy and time-saving solutions to their living space, even that shoe-sized house soon starts to look like a mansion.